Tag Archives: The CAT

Sign up for you’re “kitten-me,” it’s that easy? Tips and tricks for taming LionSearch and the CAT

Have you ever been frustrated when searching in the CAT or LionSearch? Been puzzled when your search didn’t work or you had to wade through pages of results? We’ve all been there. Whether you’re a newbie to these search systems or just need a refresher, this

Whether you’re a newbie to these search systems or just need a refresher, this 50-minute class will showcase a few tricks and help bolster your confidence. You too can tame these systems and get them to work for you (and your searching needs).

You’re “kitten-me,” it’s that easy? Tips and tricks for taming LionSearch and The CAT
Wednesday, April 5
4-5 p.m.
Pattee 211A

If interested in attending, please RSVP: https://pennstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d3RJYdn5a946MZf.

– submitted by Hailley Fargo, Knowledge Commons

Changes to ‘material type’ for online video in The CAT, LionSearch

In response to concerns about the identification and discovery of online (streaming) videos, a change was made in the coding of the Material Type for online videos in The CAT and LionSearch. Instead of assigning the Material Type ONLINE, we are assigning the Material Type VIDEO. On location displays, the Material is now listed as “Video Material”; the Library continues to be “Online Resources” and the Location continues to be “Online Content”. Using the Advanced Search in The CAT, you can retrieve online video using “Video Material” in the Material Type drop-down list. This change also effects LionSearch, where these items display as “Video Recordings”. (As opposed to streaming videos displaying as e-books due to limited mapping options.) This change effected 9,232 items. Thank you, Emily and Binky on behalf of the Discovery and Access Working Team

Changes in The CAT record display to encourage users to request ILL when a book is unavailable

By Barbara Coopey

In keeping with our user-centered focus, Access Services Council in collaboration with the Circ Reserves Expert team, has been examining service alternatives to the recall process. This past year, several changes have been implemented in The CAT records to alert users when an item is unavailable. They are instead guided to use Interlibrary Loan services. There is a web page on the Access Services Intranet explaining the rationale and progress of the changes. https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/access/intranet/catchanges12.html

For certain conditions such as checked out to another library, material at the bindery or being repaired, the due date displayed under Location in The CAT record has been replaced with the text This copy unavailable, submit request via Interlibrary Loan. This text is a “hot” link to Interlibrary Loan services for the user to place a request. In addition, items with these conditions are non-holdable. This means the “I Want It” will not display unless there is an available copy to satisfy a hold.

However, if an item is checked out to a local user, the due date is replaced with Checked out. Items checked out to local users are holdable, meaning the “I Want It” will display. The web page has images of CAT records with the various conditions. It also shows how these conditions are displayed in E-ZBorrow and Uborrow.

Changes to the Advanced Search in The CAT

Submitted by Binky Lush for the Digital Access Working Team

The Digital Access Working Team, with support from members of the Sirsi Steering Team, has made some changes affecting the Advanced Search in The CAT. The list of Material Types has been simplified. Similar types have been merged into a single menu choice, and some names have been changed to group similar types together. These changes will be implemented on September 19, 2013.

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What’s not to like?

Submitted by Jeff Edmunds, for the Next Gen 2.0 Group

The Next Gen 2.0 Group (previously known as the Library Management System Requirements Working Group) is still seeking your input about what works, and doesn’t work, in our current primary systems: WorkFlows, The CAT, and LionSearch. A survey for gathering feedback will be active until September 8, 2013:

https://surveys.libraries.psu.edu/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=84LL6l6

Please let us know what you like and what you don’t like about the current systems, and what features we should look for as we draft requirements for any future system.

Next Gen 2.0 Group: Bob Alan, Barbara Coopey, Jeff Edmunds, Mike Giarlo, Lauren Kime, John Meier, Emily Rimland, and Dace Freivalds (chair)